It is an inglorious end for these once revered animals. They are members of the world's oldest breed of domesticated cat, the mau, once worshipped as a god and the pet of choice for Egyptian pharaohs.

Now, a small band of animal welfare activists is fighting back, dedicated to saving the individual animals as well as the proud status of a species that dates back 4,000 years.

Nestled in the hills overlooking Egypt’s capital is the headquarters of the Egyptian Mau Rescue Organization (EMRO).

EMRO's director, Abdel Rahman Fahmy, said the organization focuses on the mau cats "because they have a history.”

In ancient Egypt, maus earned a revered status because of their pest control prowess. By the beginning of the second millennium B.C., cats had been domesticated and various cults surrounding them had emerged.

“The cat in ancient times was represented by the important goddess Bastet,” said Mohamed Ali Maher, a longtime guide at the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities. “They were very important to the ancient Egyptian people.”

Bastet was the god of motherhood for many dynasties, while another cat god, Sekhmet, represented warfare. A number of other gods, represented by cats and lions, stalked through Egypt's pantheons over the centuries.

On an earthly plane, cats became close companions for many ancient Egyptians, who often used them for hunting.